Month: February 2018

Tips For Living With Multiple Cats

Todays post is for anyone who is considering having more than one cat in the house. My tips for living with multiple cats’ comes from my experience with seven cats’ in the house. My first cat Soxs has been in the house for five years. My oldest cat Alexis is turning 10 years old this spring and has been in the house for 2 years. The rest of the cats’ range from 1 1/2 years to 3 1/2 years old and have been together for approximately two years. I have raised three of them from kittens, three were adopted and Roxanne was found outside. We believe that she was dumped by someone because her socialization int the house was very easy. It should be mentioned that the three kittens I have raised were found loose outside also and if they would not of been rescued would have died through the winter. For more information on each cat follow this link to Meet The Kitties.

Socialization

Bringing these cats’ together under one roof had its moments, but was not as dramatic as on might expect. Each cat has its own personality and it has been interesting watching behavior change as I watched them grow up. Cat experts recommend isolation time for new cats’ and a slow socialization to new feline family members. I did not follow this advice. None of my seven cats’ were difficult personalities, but each had their own quirks.

Soxs is my first cat. His first experience with a new cat was typical with apprehension and some confrontation. There was no isolation time, however the house is big enough for each cat to find a place to hide. One of our rescues, Rufus hid for a few weeks. He became comfortable at his own time and then loved to be with Soxs and loved to be around people. Unfortunately he passed away after three months due to some unknown medical issue. He was a magnificent cat and I miss him still.

When Lacy came she was dropped off and her first few weeks were stressful for her. She cried and hid. She wanted out and one day she escaped and stayed out for two weeks. When we got her back her personality changed dramatically. She liked being in the house and having regular meals. She lost a lot of weight during her holiday and I had to live trap her to get her back. She had another personality change when the kittens Esther and Ariel came. Lacy went off her food and became lethargic. Vet visits found no medical issues. She got medicine to increase her appetite. She overcame this issue and now she defends her self from over playful kittens. Lacy has recently become more friendly and loves getting brushed and cuddled.

Tenzin came to our home from a pet rescue. We brought him home and just opened the carrier and he came out when he was ready. After he got out he cautiously moved around the house. He kept to himself a lot. His socialization was done on his time. He did not like people handling, but now he loves to get brushed and goes to my wife and asks for brushes. He sleeps with my wife and now plays with Soxs and the kittens. He has grown and changes daily.

Alexis is my oldest cat. She likes to be alone and does not trust the rest of the cats’. She will stand on the cupboard at feeding time with the rest of the cats’, but will let everybody know when she has had enough close company. I hold her and groom her as mush as she will let me just to let her know she is loved.

 

Ariel and Esther were found as small kittens in the bush. They grew up together and have no fear. Esther likes to torment the older females just for fun. She plays with everybody else and generally does as she pleases. Ariel has grown up to be a handsome boy. He does not like to be picked up much, but I do cuddle him as required. These two were only isolated when they were very small so that the dogs or older cats’ would not hurt them. When they were big enough to look after themselves they were released into the clowder. Ariel like to push glasses of water onto the floor.

Roxanne was our last rescue. She was isolated for three days until the vet visit. Then we just let her out with the rest of the cats’. Soxs didn’t like her at first and I had to break up a couple of fights. None of the fights were crazy, but I would break things up as soon as possible. Roxanne was the easiest and quickest socialization I have seen. She must of been a house cat before I found her.

The socialization process at our house was always monitored as there was someone home almost all the time. We did leave them alone as necessary and when we came home everybody was in good shape. We still do see some nose scratches now and then, but never any serious wounding. When it was necessary to break up a hissing session I would pick up the attacked cat to show them they were protected. I have not had to do this for a long time. We have had good luck with quick socialization. We have a broad range of ages and almost even mix of male to female. Isolation might be necessary to prevent disease and parasites being introduced into your house.

Health Care

I take our cats’ health care seriously. They get regular vet visits and I will go to the vet as required if something pops up. The same goes for my dogs and horses. If you want to keep your vet bills down the key is to feed a good quality food and always have lots of clean water available. Dental care is an overlooked item. If your cat will let you brush their teeth that would be the best. If not a water additive could be a possibility. There are tooth care formulas that you can apply with your finger into the cats’ mouth. I am trying one of these and I will report back on how it works.

It is necessary to have a relationship with a good vet. I have recommendations on vet criteria on my “Maintaining Your Cat” page. If you have health care questions ask your vet first. Do not give your cats’ people medicine and use homeopathic remedies only after professional consultation.

Have a litter box for each cat and one extra. Keep it clean and use fresh litter. I have recently replaced most of our litter with pine pellets with good results. We keep one box with clay litter and four with pine pellets. Yes it violates the rule for boxes but our house is not that big. We clean the boxes a lot to compensate. I do not recommend self-cleaning litter boxes. The litter box is the key to your cats’ health so I like open litter boxes with tall sides. See my Products Page for more information.

House Cleaning

Extra cats’ mean extra house cleaning. Vacuuming and sweeping should be done as required and if you think it should be done then it should be done. I clean water bowls and feeding bowls every time I use them. Since we switched to pine pellets for litter the house is cleaner. If the cats’ are not using the litter box it might mean its not clean enough or there might be a medical issue. A cat with a urinary tract infection will start to pee everywhere. None of my cats’ spray or mark. This is due to everybody being spayed or neutered. If you have to clean up a urine stain please refer to my Pet Urine Stain Removal post.

How To Know If You Have To Many Cats

Having lots of cats’ is great. I could not give up any of them. If you can’t keep the house clean you might have to many cats’. Other factors would be if a person could not afford food or health care. Cats having unwanted kittens is a problem. Please don’t find yourself in a hording situation. Get help as required.

Something that must be considered is to have a plan in place if you find yourself not being able to be a care giver. A will or a responsible person must be available to look after your cat or cats’ if something should happen if a person can’t provide the necessary care. If you don’t provide your cats with a responsible and caring attendant they will probably end up at a shelter or worse.

That’s my story for today. Its nice to have my seven cats’. I love them all. It’s best to only have the number of cats’ that you would be comfortable with. Now it’s time to hug a kitty and do something green for the environment. Please leave a comment below especially if you want something discussed.

Trevor

 

 

 

 

 

What Do Indoor Cats Need

When you bring a kitty into your home there are some needs that have to be met. They are really quite simple and not complicated. Your cat is a family member and wants to be a part of your life. Some times it’s not obvious and when your cat appears illusive it might make you wonder what they really need.

What your cat really needs is YOU. Not only are they totally dependent on you for the basics of life they really do want your company. Then they will usually tell you when they have had enough and then go sleep somewhere. When your cat rubs on your legs, climbs on you when you’re sitting and sleeps with you at night it means they love you.

The Basics

The basics of cat care begins with a good quality food and a litter box. I think that the choice of cat food is an important as picking food for yourself and your children. I am now feeding human quality wet food and the best dry food I can afford.
Label reading is important. I encourage you to read my two reports on cat food on my “Maintaining Your Cat” page.

Every cat needs a clean, roomy litter box. The importance of the litter box can not be emphasized enough. It is the key to your cats health. When you clean the box out check the contents for anything unusual such as blood or diarrhea. A clean litter box will mean that your house will stay cleaner as well. If your cat is not using the litter box maybe it’s your fault. I do not approve of self-cleaning litter boxes because you are depriving yourself of watching your cats health. Please use the “search” box for all related articles on the litter box. For litter box and litter choices please follow the link to my”Cat Care Products” page. The rule for litter boxes is that you should have a litter box for each cat plus one extra. I have seven cats with five litter boxes. Yes it’s a broken rule, but we clean often plus we don’t have room for eight boxes.

Cats need stimulation. A nice selection of ball toys is fun for your cats. Something to chase creates good exercise as does a second cat. Some cats like to be alone, but it’s my experience that a friend is nice when there is no one home. Cats love to sit in boxes and this is a cheap solution for entertaining your cats.

Our cats love to sit at the window. Giving them a place to sit such as a cat tree or a bench is money well spent. I like watching them chatter at birds or have them watch me work outside. My cats are not free roaming cats so providing them some extra stimulation is something we as cat owners are obligated to do to prevent boredom.

Beds

Everybody likes to sleep in a nice bed. Our cats have free access to the whole house. They can sleep on the bed when ever they want plus we have cat beds around the house so every body has a place to be alone and feel safe. We built a cat condo from two end tables with covers over top to give them a nice covered hole to sleep in. We placed one table feet down and the other feet up on top with a hard cover on top and a nice fabric over the front for doors. In this configuration it’s impossible to pull over and no one can get hurt.

Grooming

Cat grooming is something your cat needs. Brushing prevents hair balls. Even short haired cats can get hair balls and you will be surprised how much hair you will get off your short haired cats. I recently took Ariel to the groomer and in the pictures you can see what a properly groomed Domestic Long haired Cat should look like. Alanah at the Dog Den did a fabulous job. You will notice that the back end is nicely shaped. This prevents feces from accumulating in the hair and it’s easier for your cat to use the litter box. If your cat has to push a bowel movement through matted hair the kitty could hurt themselves.

Nails should be trimmed regularly. This will save you and your furniture from damage. Its easy to do yourself. Just buy a good set of clippers and don’t cut to short to make them bleed.

Vet Care

Your kitty deserves regular medical checks. It’s your responsibility to provide health care. Spaying or neutering, dental care are as necessary as medical care for your self. Regular medical checks will save you money in the long run. The money you spend on good food will be saved in medical bills. If your cat is young enough it might be worthwhile to consider pet health insurance. Your vet will be able to advise you with this.

The Last Point

The last thing your cat really needs is cuddling. Right now Roxanne the office cat is right in front of me watching me type. Cuddle as required. Tenzin came to me tonight for brushes. Lacy wanted to be petted. Lexi wanted to head butt. They will let you know when they have had enough. ENJOY.

 

That’s my story for today. Follow this link to my”Cat Care Products” page for items to make cat care easy. Now hug a kitty and do something green for the environment. Please leave a comment below and if there are any Cat Care topics you would like discussed indicate them in the comments.

Trevor

 

 

 

 

 

The Senior Cat

Maintaining your senior cat can present you with some special considerations. We all get older and as we get older our bodies and temperament changes. The same thing happens to our cats. Cats between 12 to 14 years are considered older cats. My Alexis is turning ten years old this year and is showing no signs of slowing down. Her coat is nice and she loves her wet food. We have found that if she is over fed she will vomit. I think this is due to eating very fast. We now have improved the quality of our cat food and with Alexis we feed her smaller portions. Her bowel movements are good with no signs of any health problems. Remember the litter box is the key to your cats health and a cat owner should take interest in what is in the litter box.

Alexis is a long haired cat. As she gets older her coat may deteriorate and not be as pretty. This means that brushing and clipping may need to be done more regularly. Remember to clip up the back of the legs and bum. This will save your a lot of work. When cats gets older their ability to groom themselves will become difficult. We may have to bathe more often and regularly wash the bum to prevent hair being matted with feces. Our vet sold us an oatmeal based shampoo to prevent dry skin and itching. AMAZON sells several cat shampoos and I will provide examples. Please click on the shampoo pictures for more information. I have never used dry shampoos. Please consult with your vet as what to use.

 

Old Age Issues

Maintaining senior cats is not that hard. It is as when we get older we have to reorganize our lives a little.

With vision and hearing deterioration it will help your kitty to keep things easy to find. The water and food bowls should be kept in a familiar spot. Try not to sneak up on your kitty as with any older person we don’t like to be surprised and have little patience for tricks. Place a night light so that the older cats can find their way around at night. If there is decreased mobility due to some form of arthritis it will be important to keep litter boxes and favorite sleeping areas easy to access. Older cats will appreciate a warm place to sleep. Keep beds away from drafts.

I mentioned arthritis and decreased mobility. Diet will be an important issue as kitty gets older. Ask your vet at each examination for diet recommendations and supplements for not only dealing with arthritis, but dealing with overweight problems and reducing other medical issues such as kidney problems. We have put turmeric in our pets food as a natural anti inflammatory supplement to help with healthy joints. Some cats may not like it. Start with small amounts and mix it in to the wet food.

Dental Care

This the area where I personally have the biggest problem. It is recommended to brush your cats teeth regularly. I have tried different products with limited success. I put additive in the water to prevent plaque build up, but the cats could smell it and would rather drink from the toilet. We tried a spray to apply directly in their mouth. When they see me coming they take off, it is the same with the tooth brush. I am going try another supplement that is put in with the cat food. I will do a report on this after a trial period. The next option is to go to the vet for regular dental cleaning. This requires an anesthetic and as with my dog it takes a couple of days to get over it.
Dental care is important as your own teeth. Gum disease, tooth loss and infection will accompany poor dental care. I have watched a good video on dental care and brushing on the Cornell University, College of Medicine website. Due to copyright I did not include the link.

Internet medical advice does not supersede the requirement to go to a proper veterinarian. If you have any concerns see your veterinarian.

Adopting Older Cats

Older cats that are at the shelters are ready for a new home. Through no fault of their own the have been removed from a comfortable environment and placed in a stressful situation. When you go to the shelter please don’t overlook the older cats. They will be great companions. Even if it takes a year to become comfortable, remember you have saved a life. Lacy and Alexis both took months to be totally comfortable with their new home. The same applies to blind, deaf or physically handicapped cats. Adopt don’t shop. This does not mean I am against buying a special breed cats. I love all cats, I will not support mills. At Cat Care we love dogs too. This whole post applies to dogs as well.

Thats my story for today. If you have any questions or comments please do so below. Now hug a kitty and do something green for the environment

Trevor

 

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What’s My Cat Saying

 

Today story is about how your cat talks to you. My office cat Roxanne is a very verbal cat. That’s her in the picture above. One night when I was working on a post she started talking a lot. Being busy I ignored her. After she had enough of being ignored she jumped up on my lap and had a pee on me. What a valuable lesson. She didn’t go pee under the desk or in the corner, she told me to listen to her cries. I apologized and took her to the house. I changed and came back to work.

It is important to listen when one of our pets speak. This happens when we spend time with them and learn their moods and needs. I listen a lot closer now. My other office cat, Soxs goes to the door and cries when he wants to go to the house. When your pets trust you they talk to you. It’s important that we listen.

Last night when my wife was making supper Soxs went to her and head butted her several times and asked for some meat. It was so nice to watch him be so polite. We have seven felines all with their own personality.

Spend time with your pets. They will communicate with you.

Black Cats

That’s Phil in the picture. A rescue from the early winter of 2017 living in his new home.

There have been several news stories lately about how hard it is to get black cat’s adopted. These articles reveal to me that superstition and lack of compassion leaves these cat’s stranded in shelters. There is nothing wrong with BLACK CATS.

People are concerned that black cat’s don’t make for good selfies. This is incorrect. Black cat’s make for great photos. Please don’t ignore these wonderful cat’s just for the color of their fur. Any superstition regarding black cat’s is wrong and should be ignored.

When you go to the shelter don’t overlook a kitty that could be a wonderful family member. This includes senior or handicapped cats. Cats with feline FIV are very adoptable.

The Werewolf Cat

 

 

The Werewolf cat has been named a new breed of cat and has been accepted by The International Cat Association. The Lykoi cat was founded in 2011 when a natural mutation of a domestic short appeared. This cat has black and golden-rimmed eyes and a black and gray sparse fur. It’s a lean cat and is considered a sweet and warm cat. The photo above is from Steptacular  and displayed with permission.

I saw a news article recently stating that there is a terrifying breed of Werewolf cat. This headline make me wonder if this cat will be persecuted due to its unique looks. I certainly hope that this wonderful feline ends up in the hands of responsible owners. They should be  expensive enough so that they end up with cat loving owners. Check this Wikipedia link for more information.

Hint Of The Day

Today’s hint is about grooming. Brushing is an important part of cat care. Even short haired cat’s shed and can get hair balls. When grooming long haired cat’s be sure to brush under the legs and tail. If the hair get to long around the bum it should be shaved for several reasons. It prevents feces from collecting in the fur. When a cat has to push a bowl movement through matted hair you might find blood in the stool. Another good reason is that if the vet has to take the cat’s temperature you can see where to put the thermometer. A shaved back end does not mean shaved to the skin. I take my two cats Ariel and Tenzin to the groomer for this. The fur should be nicely shaped and you should be able to see the anus when you are done.

One last thing is if you have trouble putting kitty into the carrier just gently place a large towel over the kitties head and wrap the feet and place them in the carrier. Getting them out might be tricky but you will have help from the groomer or vet. Be careful not to catch their legs in the door on the way out.

That’s my story for today. Hug a kitty and do something green for the environment. If you have any questions or comments please do so below.

Trevor